Despite concerns about compliance with public procurement rules and the involvement of PWC as both advisors to the council and seemingly the external auditors to the successful bidder (no conflict of interest there then) Bournemouth council has decided to award a £150 million deal to Mouchels to outsource at least four council departments.
The outsourcing deal has met widespread opposition and not just from council unions. A succession of scrutiny committee meetings have called into question the merits of the deal built on promises of jobs and savings from Mouchels. http://www.sourcingfocus.com/index.php/site/newsitem/2926/
It is stunning that the new Conservative Leader hasn’t taken the opportunity to undo this disastrous deal first started by his predecessor administration when presented with a golden opportunity to do so. But it appears he has been ill-advised by his own officers who have fallen into the trap of believing that all that glistens is indeed gold with Mouchels citing their ‘successes’ elsewhere as part of their bidding strategy. In fact most of the deals that they cited have yet to realise any new jobs or savings but why let facts get in the way of a £150 million contract?
Yet another example of what Seumas Milne refers to as the ‘culture of corruption’ seeping into UK government not just nationally but at all levels.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/01/corruption-business-government-transport-health
Anna Rose
